Latvian cellco Tele2 has reported that mobile data traffic on its 5G network increased by 13 times over the last year, with 5G representing around 7% of the company’s total data traffic. 

Tele2’s 5G network currently comprises 350 base stations and offers coverage over 63% of Latvia’s territory. In a statement from the company, Tele2 noted that although the global trend is that 5G subscriptions are growing at faster than 3G and 4G did following their introduction, the adoption of the new technology is happening more gradually in Latvia. The company expects 4G to become the ‘dominant’ technology in Latvia in ‘around 2027’. 

Liga Krumina, the director of Tele2’s technical department explained: ‘One of the reasons why 5G is gradually catching on among customers is the fact that the technology is available in the latest smartphones and routers, and it will take time for customers to replace their existing devices with newer ones. In addition, it should be takenaccount that the speed provided by 4G technology is currently able to meet the needs of the majority of society.’